Not even a downpour could dampen the spirit of the Virgin Islands Justice Initiative’s Fourth Annual Harvest Festival & Pumpkin Patch, which drew hundreds to Magens Bay over the weekend and raised more than $40,000 to support free legal services for residents across the territory.
Originally scheduled for Oct. 11, the event was pushed back a week due to stormy weather — only for heavy rain and flooding to hit again on Saturday morning. But thanks to quick thinking and more than 50 volunteers, including members of the University of the Virgin Islands women’s basketball team, organizers moved the festivities to higher ground and kept the celebration going.
“We were determined to make it happen,” said Casey Payton, Executive Director of the VI Justice Initiative. “Our team came together early that morning, and with the help of our volunteers, we were able to bring our community the Pumpkin Patch, pumpkin carving and painting, face painting, and even a modified tractor hayride route. It was the energy of our volunteers that really brought it all together.”
Families spent the afternoon enjoying fall-themed activities along the shoreline, while every $5 hayride ticket and $20 pumpkin sale helped fund the organization’s Clean Slate Program — an initiative that provides free legal representation for expungements, nonprofit support, and legal education for youth.

Founded in 2022, the Virgin Islands Justice Initiative is the territory’s only 501(c)(3) legal education and defense fund focused on economic justice for the poor and underserved. Since launching the Clean Slate Program in 2023, the nonprofit has helped Virgin Islanders clear criminal records, opening doors to jobs and new opportunities.
“As a former assistant territorial public defender, launching the Clean Slate Program was essential from day one,” said Payton. “Record clearing is complex and can require legal expertise, which we’re proud to provide at no cost. This work helps people regain access to employment, reintegrate into the community, and rebuild their lives.”
The initiative has already helped secure 45 expungements and currently represents 75 individuals across the Virgin Islands in various stages of the process.
This year’s Pumpkin Patch fundraiser was made possible by a wide range of sponsors and community partners, including Perfected Claims, RapierMed, International Capital and Management Company, FirstBank, Island Booksellers, Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas Properties, Merchants Commercial Bank, Magens Bay Authority, Keswick Insurance, and the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, with special thanks to to the Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation and Custom Builders for providing the RapierMed Tractor Hayride, as well as the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum and Amy Gibbs for organizing children’s pumpkin painting.
Donations raised through the festival will continue to support free expungement services, nonprofit legal aid, and educational outreach. Applications for the Clean Slate Program are available at vijustice.org.
“Even in the rain, this community showed up for justice,” Payton said. “That’s what this event is really about — bringing people together to make a lasting difference.”

Food, fun, and festivities filled the scene at the 2025 World Food Day celebration on St. Croix Sunday.
The University of the Virgin Islands joined in the global observance, marking more than two decades of hosting the event locally. Organized by UVI’s School of Agriculture, the celebration aligns with the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which commemorates its 80th anniversary this year.
“This event is in observance of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,” said Dean and Director of the School of Agriculture, Usman Adamu. “That organization, this year in particular, is 80 years old. We have been celebrating this event globally for 80 years. But here at UVI, we have been observing it for at least 20 years.”

The fair, which showcases locally grown produce, traditional dishes, and student-led agricultural projects, reflects UVI’s deep commitment to promoting sustainability and food security across the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“If you look at the work that we do at UVI’s School of Agriculture, we are all about promoting agriculture and food production, food security, sustainability, and nutrition,” said Adamu. “This particular event cuts at the heart of our mission. We are very much dedicated to good nutrition and food production here in the Virgin Islands — not just in theory, but in practice.”

As a land-grant institution, UVI’s agricultural programs are built around serving the needs of the territory through education, research, and outreach. “We are a land-grant institution, and those institutions are set up to do this kind of work — dedicated and committed to the mission around food production,” he added.
Beyond education, World Food Day also highlighted the joy of local cuisine. From African-inspired dishes to classic Virgin Islands favorites, the celebration was a feast for both the mind and the palate.

“There’s so much food to eat,” Adamu laughed. “I always like to touch base with some of the home food from Africa. Of course, every now and then I go for that, and I love the drinks — I’m just waiting to get my cup right now!”

But amid the fun, the event carried an important message about self-reliance. “When we say we are celebrating food, and we don’t have the food, what are we saying?” Adamu asked. “It’s really important to have local food — to bring it back to our families. Our goal is to make sure this territory is self-sufficient.”

The event also featured performances by the Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbies, Ay-Ay Cultural Dancers, The Rising Stars Youth Steel Pan Orchestra, and others. Educational workshops focused on sweet potatoes, passion fruit, and pork, while visitors received seedlings for kale, okra, basil, beets, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Cooking demonstrations and a food bank added to the day’s activities.

A special dedication honored Madalene Agatha Hendricks Plaskett, mother of Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, with the planting of a mespil tree in her memory.

Adamu noted that the Virgin Islands currently imports an estimated 80 to 90 percent of its food — a dependency UVI hopes to reduce. “Our hope is to cut that dependency by at least moving to about 50 percent,” he said. “That’s half of the work right there.”
With that vision in mind, UVI’s annual World Food Day celebration continues to serve not only as a cultural event but also as a call to action and reminding the community that the path to sustainability starts right at home.